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When filming in Andong, we did some serious damage at Hahoe Doenjang Maeul, a family-run restaurant serving up some of the best bulgogi we’ve ever eaten. The secret? Homemade doenjang (fermented soybean paste) that the Chung family has been perfecting for over 19 generations. Along with Yeon-Hee Chung, the matriach of the family, we sat down to an epic meal of bulgogi jeongol, a one-pot stew of thinly sliced beef, noodles, vegetables, and broth. This hearty dish was accompanied by fresh ssam (lettuce), and of course, copious amounts of delicious doenjang.

Half the fun of eating jeongol lies in its preparation. It’s usually cooked right in front of you, in a large pot on one of the many portable burners gracing Korean barbeque restaurants. It’s a fun, communal dish to share with a group of friends, that’s pretty amazing by itself, but even tastier with a side of kimchi!

Additional note:

We’d like to take the time to remember Yeon-Hee Chung, who passed away recently. She ran Hahoe Doenjang Maeul for the past decade, and under her guidance, it became the wonderful success that it is today. Best wishes to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.